15th Anniversery Issue

For our 15th Anniversary Issue we've featured two photos of "The Little Nugget" bar which span, not 15, but 50 YEARS! The upper photo was taken about 1947 by the Union Pacific while the car was still in service on the Streamliner, City of Los Angeles. The lower photo is a product of our own Brad Slosar and was taken just a few months ago. We're proud to see the car looking so good again!

President's Message...

In the last issue of the ASRAIL, I predicted that 1997 would be a stellar year for ASRA and Travel Town. We're only halfway through but the prediction is already true! I am pleased to report terrific news on THREE fronts: fundraising, Train Shed and the quest for missing "Little Nugget" artworks!
The most incredible event of all occurred just last week when I got a surprise phone call from a woman informing me that she had "three boxes of pictures from "The Little Nugget"". After picking my jaw up off the ground, I met with her and sure enough, she handed me three boxes containing about 75% of the framed pictures which had once been on the walls of the car. Tears of joy (literally) filled my eyes as I looked through the boxes. Incredible!
On the fundraising front, I am pleased to report that our Development Director has achieved the $25,000 goal set for funding the Exterior Refurbishment Program. We now have the funding in hand to complete the exterior painting work on all four of the Union Pacific passenger cars we are restoring at Travel Town. And, as an added bonus, the McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corp. of Long Beach is making a large paint donation to the Association. If all goes well, we may be able to use some of the Douglas paint on the cars, thus allowing us to divert part of the $25,000 to other aspects of the restoration process.

The third front is, of course, our beloved, hard-fought and long-awaited Locomotive Pavilion at Travel Town. As we reported in the last ASRAIL, the Pavilion funding was approved by voters in "Proposition A" last November. The ball is rolling once again! I recently had the honor of speaking before the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners, where I expressed our delight in passage of the Proposition and thanked them for their continued support of Travel Town.

Our joy so far this year is unfortunately tempered with serious concern over delays in the construction of the first segment of the Travel Town-to-Zoo Demonstration Railroad. Although the ASRA has not been directly involved in this particular project thus far, we are nonetheless very troubled by the obstructionist attitudes we have seen displayed on the part of the Los Angeles Live Steamers club - Travel Town's Griffith Park neighbor to the east. The current tussle between the Live Steamers and the Department of Recreation & Parks is already causing some aspects of our restoration projects to be delayed and is having other negative impacts on Travel Town as well. Where the future of Travel Town is concerned, the ASRA is concerned; as such, the Association is now taking an active role in the resolution of the Demonstration Railroad issues. The Live Steamers are a wonderful component of the Travel Town area and I am confident that the issues in this matter will be resolved to the long-term benefit of all concerned - especially the Park's half-million annual visitors.

More detailed reports on all four of the above topics are presented elsewhere within this issue of the ASRAIL. I look forward to seeing you at our annual Steak Fry on August 23rd and anticipate the remainder of 1997 to be equally as exciting as the first half! Greg Gneier

Eighty Three Missing Wall Pictures Returned To “The Little Nugget”

In a great gesture of support for the Travel Town Museum and historic preservation, the estate of a retired Griffith Park employee has returned three boxes of framed photographs which originally adorned the walls of “Little Nugget” club car. The boxes contained a total of 83 of the original 108 gilt-framed photographs of notable Vaudeville and Circus performers. The late Mr. Stalmack, an avid collector of Santa Clauses and clowns, had been given the photos by a former Travel Town director, apparently after a Parks Department attempt to “restore” the historic car had failed in mid-stream; about 1975. The boxed pictures remained in a storage shed at Mr. Stalmack’s residence until discovered recently by family members. At present, there is no information as to the whereabouts of the other 25 photos, nor of the 30+ Walt Kuhn paintings which are still missing from “The Little Nugget”. However, the Stalmack family does indicate that they still have a few things to look through, so we’re holding out hope that more items may surface.

The 108 photographs comprised a collection which the car’s designer, artist Walt Kuhn, termed the “Compendium of Comedy”. The collection was the single most important aspect of the “The Little Nugget’s” theatrical theme as envisioned in Kuhn’s design. The large collection features vintage photographs of comics, singers, dancers, buffoons and other “footlight favorites” from the Vaudeville and Burlesques era of the American Theater. The photos were placed in small goldleaf frames and displayed throughout the Club Room of the car. Each frame included a number-plate which corresponded with an anecdotal description in a small guide book given out to passengers. Kuhn’s daughter, Brenda, once explained to us that the source for most of the 100+ photos was the vast Theatrical Collection of the New York City Public Library. Our efforts to research and reproduce the original images was partly underway when the real pictures were returned. Not only is it historically wonderful to have the genuine items back again, but the return also greatly reduces the hundreds of hours of research which would otherwise have been required of our volunteers to locate and reprint the correct “source” images.

With the help of the Travel Town Museum administrative staff, the returned photographs will be carefully removed from their frames, cleaned and then remounted on archival-safe backing papers. The ASRA restoration team will repair and re-gild the frames and ultimately re-hang the collection as Kuhn had intended. We at the ASRA and Travel Town are truly indebted to Mr. Stalmack’s daughter, Teri Cooney, and the rest of the Stalmack Family for their thoughtfulness and support of our efforts to preserve this beloved Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Landmark, “The Little Nugget”.

It’s Our 15th Anniversary!

It seems like only yesterday when we were tromping through the sagebrush at Haulapai Hilltop, Enterprise and Modena. Since that first meeting at Cedar Glen, California, fifteen years ago, the ASRA and it core group of supporters has developed into a bustling historic preservation organization. Of course our greatest turning point came in 1987 when the ASRA began its partnering relationship with the Travel Town Museum and the Los Angeles Recreation & Parks Department. Now in our 10th year at Travel Town, our operations are growing greater every day! Here are a few ASRA mileposts:

1982 - Founding, First Annual Meeting, and Incorporation 1984 - First Public Exhibition; Dallas Central Library, Dallas, Texas
1987 - Begin “The Little Nugget” Restoration Project at Travel Town
1989 - Participate in 50th Anniversary Celebrations at Los Angeles Union Station
1991 - Participated with Travel Town at RAILFAIR ’91; Sacramento, California
1992 - Found two historic Pullman sleeping cars for Travel Town
1992 - Began restoration work on Pullmans Rose Bowl and Hunters Point
1994 - Began restoration work on heavyweight Union Pacific Dining Car 3669
1996 - Hosted “Diamond Jubilee” celebration for Diner 3669
1996 - Initiated a “Classroom Visitation Program”
1997 - Celebrating 10 Years of partnership with Travel Town

Task Force To Establish Route For Demonstration Railroad

The Los Angeles Board of Recreation & Parks Commissioners has formed an advisory task force to study the route and other issues pertaining to the Travel Town-to-Zoo intra-park “Demonstration Railroad” project called for in the 1987 Griffith Park Master Plan. The Task Force was formed in response to the discontentment expressed by members of the Los Angeles Live Steamers; a private hobbyist club which operates small-scale model trains on the Park property immediately to the east of the Travel Town Museum complex. Construction of the Demonstration Railroad will necessitate realignment of some of the club’s current scale trackage. The ASRA has been invited to participate in the task force, which will be made up of representatives from the Rec & Parks Staff, Zoo staff, Travel Town and Griffith Park support organizations, Los Angeles Live Steamers, the Mayor’s Office and Councilman John Ferraro’s office. Among the assignments of the Task Force is the establishment of a definitive route and an incremental construction schedule for the planned rail line.

Named the Crystal Springs & Cahuenga Valley Railroad, the standard-gauge railway line will carry passengers through the Park between Travel Town and the Zoo/Western Heritage Museum area; helping to ease traffic and parking congestion while providing an educational demonstration of “branch-line” rail passenger service. Riders will experience, first hand, a historic recreation of the kind of rail transportation which served as a backbone for development of many of America’s small towns and rural areas during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Labor for construction of the C.S. & C.V.R.R. tracks will be donated by volunteers of the Southern California Scenic Railway Association — ASRA’s “Partner in Progress” at Travel Town. A significant portion of the necessary materials, such as rail and ties, has already been donated to the project by local businesses and corporations.

A geologic/engineering survey has been conducted and the resources are at the ready to construct the initial phase of the railroad track work, comprised of a “tail track” along the hillside to the south of Travel Town. In addition to forming the first segment of the C.S. & C.V. route, this track extension will provide a place for restoration work outside of the “public” area of the Museum as well as the additional storage space needed for the historic cars and locomotives which will be temporarily displaced during construction of Travel Town’s long-awaited Locomotive Pavilion (Spring of 1998). Unfortunately, the apparent unwillingness of the Live Steamers club to cooperate with the Recreation & Parks Department on this project has temporarily delayed construction of tail track. The Task Force established to resolve these issues is slated to hold its first meeting in late August.

"You want a straw with that?"

Juan Delgadillo of the SNOW CAP Drive-in at Seligman, Arizona; along old Route 66. He makes a fantastic chocolate malt and a great cheeseburger with cheese! Mr. Delgadillo figured prominately in the founding of the Association in 1982. This photo of him was taken last December.

RESTORATION UPDATE

“THE LITTLE NUGGET” - Aside from the fabulous discovery of 83 of the missing wall paintings... We are ready to paint the interior of Dormitory Room #5. We are also in the process of recreating the “hearts & ribbon” plaster ornament over the bar. Rebuilding work has started on the chilled drinking water unit.

Rebuilding of the missing passageway door is nearing completion through the efforts of woodworker extraordinaire, Chris Coley. We hope to have this door finished and installed in time for “The Little Nugget’s” 60th Birthday in December!

DINER 369 - Paint removal work continues at a feverish pace. Stripping of the walls in the hallway, pantry and waiting areas are nearly completed. The greatest paint removal challenge to date has been the ceiling in the hallway. Several stripping methods, which had worked in other areas of the car, proved unsuccessful on the ceiling. Finally, after a number of tests, our restoration team found a product called “Citristrip” which worked effectively on the overhead surfaces. Many thanks to Nancy, Danny, Theo and others for their tireless efforts.

Greg and Brad are working on refurbishing the drinking water filtration system. A new air reservoir and filter unit are being installed and the entire air-actuated water-raising system is being checked for leaks and clogs.

With the help of Shawn Graham, we are rebuilding the missing and/or damaged mahogany doors. First to be completed will be a replacement for the missing kitchen “creep” door; followed by the rebuilding of the kitchen loading door and repairs to the hallway loading door and then the end doors.

As the ASRAIL go to press, we are contemplating the method/schedule for sandblasting of the Diner’s roof.

HUNTERS POINT - Wayne and Sid continue to work on rebuilding the vestibule end of the car, even though Wayne will become a new father (#3!) “any day now”. We are also doing paint removal tests on the exterior of the Hunters Point.

In Search of an Ashtray

Pictured on the address side of this issue of the ASRAIL is one of a dozen or so “cherub” ashtrays which were made expressly for “The Little Nugget” car in 1937. Like virtually everything else in “The Little Nugget”, these ashtrays were designed by Walt Kuhn and are quite unique. The ashtrays are made of a cast metal material which has been glazed with a turquoise blue enamel to match the ceiling of the car’s Club Room.

All having been pilfered away over the years, not a single one of these ashtrays remains with the historic car today. As part of our restoration and preservation efforts, ASRA has been searching for these ashtrays for the past ten years. The actual whereabouts of all of the ashtrays was unknown to us until just a few months ago — then, suddenly, four such artifacts “surfaced” at various places around the country. One made its way to the Union Pacific Historical Museum in Omaha - certainly a fitting place for this piece to be displayed and have its story told. U.P.H.M. curator, Don Snoddy, has been very helpful to us in our continuing efforts to locate additional examples of this historic item.

Of the other three known ashtrays, two were recently acquired by private collectors and the fourth was obtained late last year by the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. We have contacted the holders of all three of these ashtrays with hopes that at least one would be willing to return the irreplaceable artifact to its intended home. Unfortunately, to our great surprise and disappointment, all three have declined our requests to return these irreplaceable artifacts.

Please keep your eyes peeled, as there are more of these out there somewhere! As always, we trust that persistence will be our means of success in finding and returning these important items to the Los Angeles Historic Landmark for which they were made.

ASRA Opens New Office

ASRA President, Greg Gneier, and his family finally outgrew that little house in Pasadena and have moved to Glendale. In the process, the ASRA got a new General Office and Archival Facility (sounds pretty neat, doesn’t it?). The new facility, which takes the form of a spare room in the Gneier’s new home, has now become the Mecca of ASRA organizational activity. The new office is strategically located just 5 minutes from Travel Town!

For official business, the ASRA headquarters and “registered address” remains at Mezzanine Way in Long Beach. However, in the process of opening the new office, ASRA has also adopted a new mailing address in the Griffith Park vicinity. Our new mailing address is:

Post Office Box 39846
Griffith Station
Los Angeles, California 90039

Our phone number at Travel Town remains the same: 213-668-0104.
Greg and Nancy’s new telephone number is 818-243-5019.

BOOK REVIEW

Pullman Paint and Lettering Notebook
by Arthur D. Dubin

Kalmbach Publishing has just released a new book by noted passenger train historian, Arthur D. Dubin, entitled PULLMAN PAINT AND LETTERING NOTEBOOK - A Guide to the Colors used on Pullman Cars from 1933 to 1969 (soft bound, $24.95). Dubin’s book is based on the notebooks of Pullman Co. Mechanical Inspector, Peter A. Falles, who kept detailed records of the colors and lettering styles used on the cars of various railroads. The new book is very well organized, covering both Pullman “Pool” cars as well as those of the individual railroads. Each of the paint schemes is illustrated through a combination of builder’s photographs and reproduced pages from Mr. Falles’ notebooks. Of course, the builder’s photos are unfortunately in black & white (that’s what Pullman used) but a large number of color “drift” samples are reproduced in the book as well.

Those familiar with Dubin’s other works, such as Some Classic Trains, will recognize the author’s concise, well-written text and descriptive captions. The book is chocked full of historic information and will make a great addition to the libraries of railroad preservationists and modelers alike. The new book is available from Kalmbach Books (800-533-6644) or check your local hobby shop. ISBN 0-89024-291-7

Welcome aboard Daniel Coleman!

Daniel, at 7 lbs. 1 oz., was born at Long Beach Community Hospital Tuesday, August 26th. Proud parents are ASRA Chief Mechanical Officer Wayne Coleman and wife Tammie.

Another Dinner in the Diner This Year?